Psalms 79

1 A Psalm of Asaph. O God, nations have come into Thy inheritance, They have defiled Thy holy temple, They made Jerusalem become heaps,

[A Psalm by Asaph.] God, the nations have come into your inheritance. They have defiled your holy temple. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.

2 They gave the dead bodies of Thy servants Food for the fowls of the heavens, The flesh of Thy saints For the wild beast of the earth.

They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your faithful to the animals of the earth.

3 They have shed their blood As water round about Jerusalem, And there is none burying.

Their blood they have shed like water around Jerusalem. There was no one to bury them.

4 We have been a reproach to our neighbours, A scorn and a derision to our surrounders.

We have become objects of contempt to our neighbors, mocked and ridiculed by those who are around us.

5 Till when, O Jehovah? art Thou angry for ever? Thy jealousy doth burn as fire.

How long, LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?

6 Pour Thy fury on the nations who have not known Thee, And on kingdoms that have not called in Thy name.

Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you; on the kingdoms that do not call on your name;

7 For [one] hath devoured Jacob, And his habitation they have made desolate.

For they have devoured Jacob, and destroyed his homeland.

8 Remember not for us the iniquities of forefathers, Haste, let Thy mercies go before us, For we have been very weak.

Do not hold the iniquities of our forefathers against us. Let your tender mercies speedily meet us, for we are in desperate need.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, Because of the honour of Thy name, And deliver us, and cover over our sins, For Thy name's sake.

Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of your name. Deliver us, and forgive our sins, for your name's sake.

10 Why do the nations say, 'Where [is] their God?' Let be known among the nations before our eyes, The vengeance of the blood of Thy servants that is shed.

Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?" Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, that vengeance for your servants' blood is being poured out.

11 Let the groaning of the prisoner come in before Thee, According to the greatness of Thine arm, Leave Thou the sons of death.

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before you. According to the greatness of your power, free those who are sentenced to death.

12 And turn Thou back to our neighbours, Sevenfold unto their bosom, their reproach, Wherewith they reproached Thee, O Lord.

Pay back to our neighbors seven times into their lap the insults with which they have insulted you, LORD.

13 And we, Thy people, and the flock of Thy pasture, We give thanks to Thee to the age, To all generations we recount Thy praise!

So we, your people and sheep of your pasture, will give you thanks forever. We will praise you forever, to all generations.